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The Harry Potter film franchise, which is based on the books by JK Rowling, saw a lot of blood and sweat put in by the team to bring out the best on screens. The movies, which starred Daniel Radcliffe in the titular role, also saw Emma Watson as Hermione Granger and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley. While these were among the many faces that came to light in the movie, there were many who were putting their lives at risk every day for the film’s success, especially the stunt team. Radcliffe’s Stunt double, David Holmes, even risked his entire life during one of the scenes and was left to live with paralysis. Once, during a conversation with him, Radcliffe began the debate about how the stunt teams should be recognized in prestigious award functions, including the Oscars.
Radcliffe has been making headlines as he is serving as an executive producer for a documentary based on the life of his Harry Potter stunt double. But this is not the first time the actor has talked about the stunt doubles’ contribution to movies.
While filming the 2010 film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, David Holmes, who has been the stunt double since the beginning of the franchise, was a part of a stunt that involved an explosion. Despite the planning, he plummeted to the ground and was paralyzed from the chest down with a debilitating spinal injury. Since then, he has been living his life in a wheelchair.
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Back in 2021, during David and Daniel’s podcast, Cunning Stunts, where they talk to various stunt artists, the two teamed up and talked about their experience of working together. Radcliffe revealed how he used to spend time on the sets with the stunt team as they shared their experiences. At one point, the two threw light on how many stuntmen have so far risked their lives and ended up being hurt but never received the right recognition.
Per Deadline, David Holmes said, “I literally broke my neck because people sit in front of a screen and want to go, ‘That was a good stunt.’” He continued, “Olivia Jackson lost an arm and paralyzed half her body on a Resident Evil production that didn’t have an insurance policy to cover her. We risk our lives for the sake of entertainment, so it’s a bit ridiculous when all other departments get recognized, and we don’t.”
Daniel Radcliffe further said, “If you can’t see the art of a brilliant stunt scene, you’re just not looking hard enough.” The Now You See Me 2 star continued to call stunt work an “artform” and added how performing it safely is extremely hard. He further acknowledged the argument about how awards as prestigious as the Oscars should incentivize performers to do their job in the quest for an Academy Award. He mentioned how many stunt artists have suffered the consequences of a good action sequence and that’s what makes “you realize everyone has put their bodies on the line to make the things we love. It seems crazy not to acknowledge that.”
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